HEALTH INFORMATION

Covers walking as one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve your health. Explains what you need to know before starting a walking program. Includes how to stay motivated.

Covers walking as one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve your health. Explains what you need to know before starting a walking program. Includes how to stay motivated.

Heart Disease: Walking for a Healthy Heart

Introduction

Walking is a form of aerobic exercise
and is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve
your health. Physical activity increases your
heart rate, strengthens your heart, and increases
blood circulation through your body, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to your
organs. Exercise also increases your lungs' ability to take in oxygen, lowers
blood pressure, helps to reduce body fat, and improves blood sugar and
cholesterol levels.

Have a checkup before beginning an exercise
program. If you have heart problems, your doctor may want to do tests to find
out how much activity your heart can safely handle.

Start out
slowly at first, with a warm-up in the beginning, a faster pace in the middle,
and a cooldown at the end.

To stay motivated, walk with friends,
coworkers, or pets. Set goals you can reach.

Use a pedometer to
count your steps. Wear it all day and try to take at least 2,000 more steps a
day than you normally do, and gradually increase your steps over
time.

Try to do at least 2½ hours of
moderate exercise a week.1
One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.

How can I stay motivated with a walking program?

One
of the best ways to stay motivated to walk is to include other people. Ask
friends and coworkers to join you. Join a walking group or club.

Buy a pedometer. Wear
it every day, and count your steps. The first time you wear it, count how many
steps you normally take in a day. Set a goal for increasing it each day or
week. Try to start with an increase of 2,000 steps a day and work toward
10,000. Get others to join you and set goals as a group.

Walk
before or after work or on your lunch break. Instead of taking a snack or
coffee break, take a walk break.

If the weather is bad, use a treadmill. Or take
comfortable shoes to the mall, and walk several laps inside.

Walk to
work, school, the grocery store, or a restaurant.

Walk around your
neighborhood, around an entire park, or to do errands.

Schedule
walks on your business calendar. Turn a walk into a brainstorming session with
a coworker.

Wear comfortable shoes and socks that cushion your
feet.

Drink plenty of water. Take a bottle with you when you
walk.

Be safe, and know your surroundings. Walk in a well-lighted,
safe place.

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How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.